Serious Misplace
by Ireth-Tasartir
Summary: A student from the past comes and captures Hermione's heart. Who is he? What happens when they find a way to get him back, will he go? Is love stronger than time? Can the future change?
1. Wishing

"How could he do that to me?" The boy growled rather annoyed with the situation.

It was dark, it was murky, there was no moon and the starry sky glinted with purpurrine. The boy was not feeling sparkly, or starry at all, actually he was feeling dark and murky. The shinny shoes were stmping on the ground as the boy paced furiously across the stone floor. There was not a fixed direction, he was not really sure where he was headed, he just wanted to cool his fiery temper. He felt betrayed, abandoned, replaced, and a whole salad of emotions he was not too sure about their origin or meaning.

"Stupid..." the boy muttered angrily, "I thought he was my best friend! He was my brother!" the boy growled again, this time it sounded very animalistic to him.

At the ancestral sound of his angered growl, the boy leapt lightly, shocked, and remaint very still. He glanced around into the dark corridor, but only darkness received his gaze. As well as he could see into the night shadows, there was always that feeling that people were about to find his secret, that he would let it slip accidentally, and everyone would know who he was... what he was.

"Hummm..." murmurred the boy, relaxing the tension of his muscles and frowning to return to his insistent displeasure. "Stupid..."

The strong, yet boyish legs dragged him past the corridors. The starry light seemed to filtrate into the castle through the open windows, which were glassless. The luminity carved the window gap's shape on the floor. The young man's shadow shattered the stillness of such perfection, only to be recovered as soon as he vanished, like liquid.

"Oh, how I wish I would leave far away, to a place where they couldn't find me, just to hide and scare him a little!" the boy thought frowning, so deeply concentrated in his pleading he almost wished it to become true.

The student, for he was a Hogwarts student, took another step forward and turned around, his arms crossed, his head low, and his lips pursed in annoyance. He looked like a big, unshaved, five years old having a tantrum. Actually, he was having a tantrum, and it was so ridiculous it surprised him.

"Still, I wish I could hide far away and give him a scare!" the boy repeated with a snort, considering it would be more interesting to make people suffer just a bit.

The boy turned around again and walked back to the same place. This time he was considering doing that, and somehow decided to follow is instinct and walked heading towards the end of the corridor. His tounge licked the fleshy lips, his eyes glimered mischievously at the thought of doing something so childlish as hiding. But where?.

"Oh, I hope I can find a place to hide, a place where they would never find me!" the boy thought strongly, thinking hard about all the placed he knew.

There was a light, almost whooshy sound. It reminded him to a light gust of breeze, of summer air that ran past the trees and shook the leaves to make them chime. The boy turned around curious. His eyes widdened, his lips parted and his lungs inhaled air in a loud gasp. A door. A unique door had suddenly appeared on the wall. It was brown. It was wooden. It was old and dusty. It looked torn and battered. It had no carvings. It had no drawings. It had not cryptic inscriptions, or anything written on it. It was square, dull, and made of pine, probably. Yes, it was deffinitely an unique door.

The boy walked towards it and examined it closely. As I mentioned, it didn't look special in any possible way. As it didn't look threatening, ordangerous. Nor it appeared as if it would beneffit him in any way. It was inescrutable. Being the curious boy he was, the student grinned mischievously, his eyes narrowed, glinting restlessly, and his hand extended towards the door. The angel, the conscience, the good guy sitting at his right told him not to do it, that it could be dangerous, that he didn't know what was on the other side, or the properties from that door. Unfortunately for the tiny angel, the boy was lefthanded.

The door oposed the same resistence an ameba would if being stuffed into a test tube. None. It oppened with ease, docile and obedient, with a feeble screech of the oxidated edges. The man didn't know what to expect. Money, luxury, an incredibly expensive, rapid and wonderful car? Did the car fly? Deffinitely, whatever he expected was not what he encountered.

How to describe it? A whirlpool of colours imagined by a neurotic artist who was too high on weed? That would be pretty accurate, if the artist was an anarchist hippy. Lest be more accurate, it was an arch, a roman, half point arch, except it grew to become some kind of entrance. The arch, built out of stone, had an incription written on top of it, delicately carved on the curve with something similar to sanscrit.

"The Alternative To Destiny." The curious writting read.

"The Alternative To Destiny? What the heck does that mean?" the boy inquired, narrowing his eyebrows with confusion.

The mixture of creamy colours and glittering sparks kept gliding and twirling like a frozen whirpool, or a hurricane of a very thick fluid. The boy stared at it. Nothing, only that dazzling mass of Merlin knew what spiralling and spiralling to endless times. Shrugging, he decided he had nothing to loose if he just tried. The man took a step into the door. Inmediatly, the colours began to slither in frantic movement, and the sparkling grew to become a glow that illuminated the whole room. The boy was engulfed by the brightness. As the luminity subsided, nothing but the night shadows were left in the room.

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"Oh, how much I wish I could get a friend, someone who listened to me, someone who talked to me, someone who would always help me when I needed..." Luna sighed, pacing back and forth down the corridor.

A door, a unique door, appeared on the wall. That same door that had engulfed the boy. The wooden object plunged open rather abruptly. A young boy, of around seventeen, came rolling out of a flash of luminity that seemed to erupt from the opening.

"A Soul Gnawing Elf!" Luna gasped with surprise.

"A what?" the boy looked disoriented, and glanced with slight confusion at the dreamy looking girl before him.

"You know, you bite at my soul and give me bad feelings, sadness and nightmares..." Luna explained convinced at her statement.

"Ah... Right, well, pleased to meet you." The boy comented, glancing at Luna as if she was from another planet.

The boy stood up and began dusting his grey uniform pants and his white, open shirt. He turned around to point at the door and gasped lightly. It was gone, gone with the same mistery it had appeared. The student shrugged, it was not too important, it had prooved to be fake. Was this the Alternative to Destiny? Coming out of the room and encountering a young girl who was visibly bonkers?

"By the way, who are you?" the boy questioned, eyeing the girl curiously, "I've never seen you around, are you new?" the man finished asking.

"When I asked for a friend..." the girl began gasping, her voice a terrified stutter, "This was not what I had in mind!" Luna shrieked.

The young Ravenclaw turned around and fled rapidly through the corridor.

"Hey... wait!" the boy oppened his hand and extended his arm to stop her fleeding.

To no avail. The shrieking youth vanished across the corner and dissapeared when she dived into the darkness. The boy shrugged, she was crazy anyways. He looked around and examined the stones curiously. Odd, he couldn't remember this corridor, sure, he had arrived somehow, but he was so furious he didn't realice which was he was walking. That made him realice he had been lucky not to encounter Filch, or that nosy, annoing Head Boy. Remembering his anger, the boy noticed he was no longer angry. Shrugging, he began walking into the dark. There must be a familiar corridor nearby.

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It hadn't taken him more than half an hour finding his path and reaching the all too familiar Gryffindor tower. To be more exact, he hadn't reached it yet, but was on his way, taking things calmly and breathing the stillness and freshness of the auttum air. All was going perfect, he had cured his anger and had even smirked at the memory of that crazy aparition. Everything was going perfect until a black cat crossed his path and broke a mirror.

"Hey, stop right now!" shrieked a severe, alarmed voice, which seemed also serious as dramatically interested in following every single sure.

To Be Continued...

AN: Just something that came across my mind while going in my car. The beggining is pretty stupid, but it will get a lot better, I promise.


	2. The Head Girl and the Boy

The young student turned around and glanced at the figure standing before him. He had an unusual good sight in darkness, so he could see the woman pretty clearly. She was not excesively tall, with a thick, curly hair which was almost bushy, and deep chocolate eyes. Her cherry lips were pursed in a frown, and her arms were closed angrily.

"What are you doing outside after hours?" the girl said rather obsesively.

"Who are you to tell me where I should be now?" the boy said angrily, feeling almost insulted.

"Head Girl, for your information!" the girl said with a dangerous grunt.

"Head Girl? What happens today, all the madmen are on the loose?" the boy gasped, staring at the girl very sharply, "For your information miss, Lily is the Head Girl!" the student corrected.

"Who? Excuse me, mister whatever-your-name-is, I, Hermione Jane Granger, am the Head Girl!" Hermione said very exasperated.

"You don't know who I am?" the student said getting angrier at such title.

"No, why should I?" Hermione responded, drawing out a piece of parchment and a quill to proceed writting down the detention.

"I am..." the boy began, but was cut abruptly by the girl's angry hiss.

"I don't care who you are, I am tired of you and you are coming to the Headmistress' office right now!" Hermione said throwing down the parchment and stomping her foot on it.

"Headmisstress?" the boy commented thoughtfully, "I believe you are wrong, Miss Granger, it's Headmaster, Headmaster Dumbledore!" The boy said being dragged by Hermione.

"I'm afraid..." Said Hermione looking grave and almost mournful at the mention of Dumbledore, "That Dumbledore is dead."

"Dead? It can't be! I saw him this morning at the great hall!" the boy proclaimed with convinction. "You really don't know who I am?" he asked again feeling oddly confused.

"Dumbledore is dead, whether you like it or not, and I really ignore your name, house, etc! Nor that I care anyways." Hermione said with a whiff, piercing the boy's eyes with her own ones.

Then she continued walking, dragging the boy along from the wrist, being that his sleeves were pulled upwards. The young male pondered about that fact as silence engulfed them. Her touch was fresh and firm, soft and silky. She was a pretty girl, in an odd kind of way. The bushy hair flowed freely behind her, and her determined eyes seemed to glow in the darkness. The boy also thought about the strangeness of the situation. Two mad girls in the same night? That was simply much of a coincidence. Something really weird was going on.

"Gryffindor." He said all of a sudden, ignoring why he had just mentioned that fact.

"What?" Hermione inquired turning around to face him.

"I'm from Gryffindor... I thought it would be polite to tell you." The boy said shrugging, smirking weakly.

Hermione's eyes widdened. Gears began to work rapidly, realization started to dawn in her mind. She had never seen that boy, where did he come from? The girl came to the conclusion that McGonagall would be able to work it out better than she could. The strange duo continued walking across the dark corridors.

"We are here, Feliswhisp!" Hermione said fimrly and with determination.

The gryffin shapped gargoyle leapt aside and screeched loudly, probably advicing the Headmistress of the stranger's arrival. Hermione pushed the boy up the stairs and followed him. Once they were upstairs, the girl knocked on the door and penetrated the room before allowing the stranger.

"Headmistress, I believe you should see this..." Hermione said rather consternated at the events she was suddenly suffering.

Then she vanished back into the darkness of the stairs and permitted the entrance of the youngster.

"What are you doing here?" McGonagall stood from her chair abruptly and bellowed with a gasp.

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"Who is he?" thought Hermione, "where did he come from?"

Everything was too odd, too strange. She had her suspicions, but they were crazy, weird, and almost unbelievable. If it weren't for the fact that this stranger, self proclaimed Gryffindor, seemed so sincere about his surprise, she would have almost thought it was impossible.

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"You musn't reveal anything to anyone, understood? Things could change a lot, to the point the world we know can suffer a mishap so great it can vanish." McGonagall explained, pale and serious as she was, "Also, you will not ask, not learn anything from anyone. You will be part of the classes until we find a way to get you back!"

"But Proff... er... Headmistress, how am I going to hide my identity from those who might know me?" the boy asked.

"Pray so your looks don't reveal you, but you will be called Jake Anderson, and are here to get your magic title. You have been homeschooled. Your parents work the land in the country. I believe that's all you must know for now." McGonagall commented, "Miss Granger will get you a room at Gryffindor, and aid you around. She is a trustworthy woman, but don't tell her too much." The Headmistress smiled tensely, worriedly, but there was a glint of deep joy in her eyes.

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As Jake came outside, Hermione was already waiting for him outside, at the dark corridor. The two walked across the corridor in deep silence. Then Jake explained the story to Hermione just so she was to know and take the ocassional measures.

"You are not a homeschooled wizard, right Jake?" Hermione spat all of a sudden, smiling proudly.

"What? What do you mean?" Jake inquired staring at her, and running a nervous hand across his hair.

"I know it, Jake, I know you...

To Be Continued...

AN: Well, how is it going? I think it's starting to take shape, slowly, but I'll try to get on with it more rapidly. Sorry for the delay but I was on holydays at the beach. Well, how are you liking it?


	3. Harry's Obsession

"I know it, Jake, I know you come from the past!" Hermione said with a bright smirk.

"Ah...Ah? Hem..." Jake was speechless, his eyes darted away from her in a strange, nervous expression.

"You can't hide it. I know it!" Hermione claimed inflating her chest with pride.

"You are right, all right, I came from the past!" Jake snapped feeling violent at the situation.

"I knew it!" cheered Hermione feeling the controlable urge to leap.

"Please, don't say anything. McGonagall's told me not to mention it, and to stay away from the influence of the future, or something like that. I guess she doesn't want me to change the things in the past, or something." Jake comented looking thoughtful and scratching the back of his head.

"How did you come? Why did you come? Where did you come from? What happened?" Hermione bombarded Jake with an enormous ammount of inquires.

"What?" Jake's eyes darted towards her with wide shock.

"You know, I want to know reasons!" Hermione said cheerfully, staring at the boy as if he was a new specimen of human being.

"Aren't you a bit nosy?" Jake asked looking slightly annoyed at the personal intrusion.

"Well, wouldn't you be if I had travelled to the past?" Hermione spat angrily, crossing her arms and glaring with threat at the youngster.

"You've got a point." Jake nodded with a weak smile. "Fine, how did I come? I don't have a clue. Why did I come? That's none of your business..." the boy explained.

At that last estatement, Hermione crossed her arms and looked slightly annoyed at his choice. It wasn't that she was specially nosy, but she hated being denied knowledge, and she hated the proud and centered way this boy behaved. There was something oddly familiar in him, something that kept nagging in the back of her brain, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

"We are here." Hermione said all of a sudden, realizing they had reached the Gryffindor common room.

"Gryffindor..." Jake said with glinting eyes, looking almost bright with nostalgia.

"Howling Wolf!" the woman proclaimed with determination.

"Do you realice how late it is, dear?" the Fat Lady said with a stiffed yawn, while moving aside to allow the entrance to the two children.

"I'm sorry." Hermione said almost automatically while walking inside the common room.

Jake smiled with nostalgia. It was the same as it had been twenty years in the past. The same fireplace, with the flickering flame, now dying on its coals as the shadows lurked in the furthest corners. That small tea table surounded by a large sofa and a couch. The small, arched window where the stars and the night flickered. The tables and chairs left for studying, and various pets roaming and crawling on the floor, while some cats slept on cushions and carpets close to the fire. Jake smiled with pleasure. He was at home.

"Follow me. I sleep in a room alone, as Head Girl. The room for the Head Boy (in case there had been a Gryffindor Head Boy) is empty. You will sleep there." Hermione explained while walking up the stairs and opening a secret passage with her wand.

"Hermione..." Jake said without knowing very well what he wanted to say.

"Hum?" the girl turned her head to glance at the youth.

"Thank you for everything." Jake said with a gentle smile.

Hermione returned it and nodded softly, almost impercetibly. Then, she oppened her door and vanished into her chambers. Jake imitated her and entered. The room wasn't much different than his own room at his time. It was slightly smaller, and had a single bed. Jake layed down and suddenly felt very lonely. He thought about his travel, about being in the future, about how things could change, and the ignorance of whether he would be able to see his friends ever again. For the first time in a long while, Jake was truly afraid.

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Harry was sitting calmly on the armchair, before classes started. He had been the first to come down, and was usually the last one to retreat to his chambers. It wasn't studying. To be more exact, Harry's grades were dropping like hailstorm. It was the terrible obsession that had accused him lately, the terrible desire to finish Voldemort off, and the knowledge of how to finish him over. The Horcruxes.

"Four to go, Hufflepuff's goblet, something from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, and the snake." Harry murmurred to himself. "I'm sure the locket was destroyed." The boy considered.

Then the boy leant over and began scribbling with rapid hand on a piece of parchment. Several splotches of dark ink were left here and there, but the boy's hurry was such it lacked importance.

"Dear Remus.

I need to confide you a secret. Can we meet saturday, two weeks from now, at the Three Broomsticks?

Love, Harry."

Then he folded the parchment and handed it to the snow owl resting next to him.

"Hurry, Hedwig, and be careful." He said soothingly, picking his owl and caressing the soft, white chest.

The boy then released the large, prey bird through the window. The female owl vanished into the dawn with rapid and silent flapping. With a sigh, Harry returned to the couch and started to examine the paper, pondering about this misterious R.A.B. He had to be an ally, hence, as much as he thought about it, all possible combinations of names and surnames didn't convince him. They were weak, taking slightly, or didn't make any sense.

"Blimey Harry!" said a stiffled yawn behind the bespectacled boy. "You are much too obsessed with that matter, I think you should relax a bit!"

"Ron!" growled Harry turning around to glare at his best friend, "Voldemort is not relaxing, each minute we loose is a minute he is ahead of us!" Harry explained with a seriousness unnatural in him.

"Fine, but you're gonna grow sick if you go on like that!" Ron spat, yet shrugging, "Then you won't be of much help, you know that?" the boy sat down on the sofa and began to chew at a chocolate cauldron he had in his pocket.

Moments later Hermione walked down followed by a stranger. Jake gasped when his eyes met Harry's eyes, it was impossible, yet there it was. The resemblance was impressive, and he could almost guess the boy's name. Harry, on his part, gasped at the newcomer and his whole muscle system tensed visibly.

"It's incredible!" Harry gasped, pointing at the boy with fascination "You look just like..."

"Jake Anderson!" Jake said hurriedly, shaking Harry's hand rapidly and almost violently.

Hermione then proceeded to explain the whole story to the two friends. She told them about McGonagall's orders, and how they couldn't make any mention about the past or their lives as long as Jake was around, under danger of changing the future. While Ron was still surprised at the incredible story, Harry kept eyeing Jake with growing suspicion.

"It's quiet unnerving when you stare like that." Jake said frustrated, feeling nervous at the boy's insitent interest on him.

"I'm sorry. You just look a lot like someone I knew." Harry said with the lest bit of shame in him.

"Why don't we go to breakfast? With full stomachs we can have a more pleasant chat!" Ron propose standing up eagerly.

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As the four students walked down, they met Ginny, who was animatedly plastering flyers on the walls and doors.

"Hey, Gin!" Ron saluted with a lazy wave of the hand.

"Hi guys, wooh, Hermy, who is the new boy?" Ginny said with a vast grin, glancing at Jake with something close to seduction.

"This is Jake, Jake." Hermione turned to the boy, "This is Ginny!" she said.

"Nice to meet you." Jake grinned, "Perhaps we can meet some other time?" the boy then added raising his eyebrows in mock flirt.

"Watch it!" Ron warned with a growl, "She's my sister!"

"What are you doing, Ginny?" Harry asked walking towards her.

"Oh, just placing this advisory flyers, something about Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. I presume it has to do with Fred and George's Giant Grow Gum!" Ginny explained rolling her eyes hopelessly.

"And why do you have to do it?" Ron inquired curiously.

"Stupid Filch and his detentions!" Ginny said shrugging, and continued placing things on the walls.

The four of them walked away, leaving Ginny to do her work.

"Who are this Fred and George?" Jake inquired with curiosity, glancing at Hermione.

"Oh, they are my brothers." Ron intervened, "They run a joke shop."

"Whow, they must be big pranksters then. In my time, I used to throw some pranks too." Jake mentioned as if it lacked importance.

While Ron seemed visibly awed, and engaged in a conversation about pranks with the new boy, Harry and Hermione eyed each other suspiciously. There was something fishy and odd about this new student. They had it on the tip of their tounges, just somehow it refused to come out.

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Transfiguration, first hour. Proffesor McGonagall, who kept imparting the class, not having found anyone more suitable for the possition, stood before the classroom and commanded them silence.

"Today we are going to study animagi transfiguration!" the woman explained with severe calm.

There was a natural conmotion. People began chattering excitedly, breaking the well imposed silence. It was animagi, one of the most complicated forms of magic, and one of the most desired one. They were to learn how to transfigure their body, even more, shapeshift into an animal, and aquire the characteristics of those creatures.

"Silence! Silence!" commanded the proffesor flapping with her hands, "I am not going to teach you how to transfigure completely. Only parts of your body. Whole transfiguration is dangerous, complicated, and a special course must be taken to achieve it." The woman said seriously, yet her eyes darted towards Jake for a brief moment.

There was a general groan. Annoyance, deception, and several angry glares. The excitement now vanished, and the interest faded away rapidly.

"With a simple spell, we will transfigure our hand. Note that the shape your hand takes will be the animal your animagi will take form of." The proffesor explained. "Mr Anderson, you can leave the class if you wish. I'd rather have this lesson with you alone."

Jake, feeling strangely scared, stood up and walked towards the door. She couldn't have known it, she never saw him, it was impossible. Hermione and Harry followed him as he retreated, Harry kept that ingrowing suspicion, while Hermione began to feel a slight sympathy for the stranger. Being locked in a time away from his own, being underestimated by the headmistress, being away from his friends, his girlfriend, it must be terrible.

"Well, now point your wands at your hand and say; Faunatio!" McGonagall said, flickiing her wand in example and shapeshifting her hand into a feline paw.

The students began to work their spells. At first, only a claw, or a slight bit of fur appeared here and there. However, it wasn't a really complicated spell, hence results were obtained here and there, and the hands of various students became fins, paws, claws of hooves.

"Look!" said Hermione excitedly, watching her hand, now resembling an equine hoof, covered with chestnut fur.

"I've got a bear claw!" Harry said turning to Hermione and Ron, and showing them his sharp blades of claws, and the black fur that covered his thick paw.

"Odd..." thought Ron glancing at his hand. "Why would my hand turn into a...

To Be Continued...

AN: Guesses, Guesses. What did Ron's hand turn into? Why are Hermione and Harry so suspicious? By the way, if you want to read more about Harry, Hermione and Ron's animagus, check A Life To Live, it explains everything, from the spell to the transformation. Keep reading ;).


	4. Ron's Black Paw

"Odd..." thought Ron glancing at his hand. "Why would my hand turn into a dog paw?" he pondered.

Perhaps that wasn't really extravagant. The really strange thing was that his hand had shapeshifted to the slender paw of a large dog. Even more, there was black fur covering his appendage. Ron had realized that the fur covering the various mammals was normally very similar to the hair colour, except in a few where the colour had to be the animal's natural. Still, there was some tint, some shadow of the people's colour in it. Except him. His dog paw was a pitch black, darker than Harry's hair. That confused him, as well as interested him.

"What did your hand become?" Hermione asked curiously, trying to catch a peek.

"Oh... you know it takes me a while to get the drift of this things." Ron said, trying to feinge as deceived as possible while hiding his hand behind his back.

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Ron nocked at the Headmistress' office door and waited to hear McGonagall's voice before entering the room. The youth pushed the door open and penetrated the warmth of the circular room, yet froze at the entrance. There, sitting before McGonagall at her desk, was Jake. Both humans glanced at him curiously.

"Oh... sorry, I didn't know..." Ron said looking slightly troubled at disturbing the two people.

"Don't worry, Mr Weasley, Mr Anderson was leaving already." McGonagall eyed the young Jake with a meaningful glance.

Jake, understanding the look she was giving him, stood up and nodded, retreating from the chamber looking troubled. Ron then entered the room entirely and closed the door behind himself. Fiddling with his hands rather nervously, the boy approached the desk and stood before the headmistress, not daring to sit down unless she told him to.

"Well?" McGonagall said severely as always, yet there was a hint of curiosity glinting in her eyes.

"It's about your lesson, something really odd happened and I wanted to know if you could teach me to become an animagus." Ron said in a hurried voice.

"Mr Weasley, I'm afraid it isn't possible." McGonagall said staring at Ron with surprise at the request.

"But proffesor, look!" Ron said, pointing his wand at his hand and muttering the enchantment.

McGonagall stood up very straight as the charm functioned. Leaning over the table to see more clearly, the old proffesor adjusted her glasses on her nose and eyed the transformation with startled curiosity. There was shock oon her eyes, her body was stiff, and the woman's hands were shaking slightly, their palms firmly pressed against the table's surface. The boy's hand was now a black, furry, dog paw.

"See what I mean?" Ron said eyeing the woman with something close to pride, and more serious than he had ever been.

"This is impossible, you are red headed!" McGonagall eyed the boy's paw, then turned to glance at the calm, blue eyes.

"Will you teach me now? I have my suspicions, but I'm not sure how, or why." Ron said looking grave.

"Fine, Mr Weasley. Come here, every afternoon at 8." McGonagall said seriously, sitting back on her chair.

"Don't register me!" pleaded Ron, returning his hand to humanity with a sway of his wand.

"As much as that is against my principles, I was not planning to." The Headmistress answered, and a rather calid smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you!" Ron said effusively, smiling also with a similar warmth.

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Jake was alking across the corridors. Once again, his paces were going without a fixed order, without a direction. Thoughts kept racing back and forth his mind. Eyes looking into the darkness, used to it, and able to glance, yet seeing nothing but past and memory. He was conscious that she knew, and terrible thoughts kept racing across his brain, aching his heart terribly.

"What happened to them?" Jake inquired leaning on the frame of a window, and glancing outside. "To us?"

a gasp esccaped his lips, eyes watched attentively. There it was, it was still here. The Whomping Willow was resting very still, doing nothing but allowing his branches to be swayed placidly by the wind. The famous tree, a smile curled Jake's lips. A idea crossed his mind as he pondered several chances. However, his muscles itched, and his nerves rippled. There was a need to do what his mischievous self ordered him to.

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Ripping the envelope loudly, Harry was eager to read the letter sent by Remus Lupin. With shaky hands, the boy unfolded the parchment and began reading the neat, cursive writting.

"Dear harry.

It's fine. That saturday I will be there. I'm eager to know what you have to tell me, but don't say anything by mail, it can be tracked down.

Sincerely.

R.Lupin."

The youth smiled pleased. Sighing, he folded the parchment, gave the snowy owl a well deserved treat, and retreated to his room.

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Animagus transformation. Hermione was pondering very seriously about it. It was a good challenge. Becoming an unregistered animagus. As far as this was illegal, and all illegal things didn't convince her, she could register afterwards. However, she still considered that becoming and unregistered animagus proved skills and mastery of magic, and she loved prooving her skills.

The youth was leaning on her windowsill, glancing at the night outside. The stars were fresh and bright, there was not a cloud in the skies, and the veil of darkness was like the shadow of a glass, innocent and clear like water, yet deep and dangerous. Suddenly the woman stood very straight and placed her palms on the windowsill. There was something running across the Hogwarts grounds. It wasn't too clear, but it was big, and galloped on four legs.

"What is that?" Hermione inquired, looking confused and curious all the same.

The girl had the sudden urge to come down, to investigate. Wrapping herself in a black cloak, Hermione raced out of her room and downstairs, in pursue of the strange creature. The fresh, auttum air slapped her face while she pulled a hood around her head. The woman trotted rapidly across the green, grassy field, her curiosity struggling with the correct thing to do. Full moon, it was full moon but she didn't care, she wasn't even conscious about that tiny fact.

Upon reaching the lake, the woman let herself fall on the soft sand. The creature was nowhere to be seen, and she was already putting herself in danger by staying out here for so long. The whomping willow was close, and so was the Forbidden Forest, however, the creature was gone. Hermione tried to remember what it looked like, four legs, agile, and the colour was not defined, but something like grey? The moon confused her perception, silver was now what once had been green, and the shadows had been blues, while whites blended into velvet storm.

There was a sudden craking sound, something like a twig being snapped by a considerate weight. Hermione turned her cloaked head to glance into the depths of the woods. The sound came from nearby the Whomping Willow. The girl stood up and saw something approach, something with four legs, silver fur, and sharp ears. It was curling the lips, baring a collection of sharp fangs, and a deep rumble echoed in the animal's throat.

"A... A werewolf!" gasped Hermione standing up very rapidly.

This made the animal raise his head and feel threatened for it snapped at Hermione with an enraged bark. The girl yelped and took a step back, searching for her wand with a shaky hand. Movements, strange things this human was fiddling with. The werewolf perceived danger, his instincts kept warning him to either flee or attack in order of saving his life. The animal decided upon the second. The paws slapped the ground as the wolf trotted rapidly towards the girl, leapt and growled at his prey.

To Be Continued...

AN: Sorry for the delay, but I'm trying to finish all my stories. I am glad so many people is liking this story, since my stories are not much famous. Anyways, keep reading, I think it will have an interesing plot, and a very unpredictable ending ;).


	5. Shadow and Heart

A yell, a high pitched call of true horror. A growl kept echoing in the woodlands. Infuriated. Hermione's eyes widdened and her whole body froze very still. That was not the wolf's growl. It was a different, less wild, animalistic growl. A black shadow seemed to bounce upon the Willow's branches, which were now swaying frantically, wanting to hit. The darkness blurr collided upon the wolf and threw him down on the sandy beach. There was a struggle on the sand, bites, yelps, scratches. Finally, the wolf fled with a yipping sound.

The black blurr stood up and shook his head and fur clean of the white sand. There was a scratch on his right paw, probably where the werewolf scratched it with its sharp claws. The animal looked up and stared at Hermione with a pair of intense, blue eyes. He pricked the sharp ears and looked serious and grave, as if questioning her if she had been hurt.

"Thank you..." Hermione said with a wide smile, looking at the creature with a noble smile.

The animal seemed to smile at Hermione and nodded. Then, he turned around and limped back into the depths of the forest. Hermione watched with worried sadness how the black shadow vanished into the depths of the woodlands, blending in with the darkness, and leaving her with a terrible sentiment of empty. There was something nagging at her in the back of the brain, hence she wasn't able to put her finger into it. However, now she felt determined to become and animagi.

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The next morning, both, Ron and Jake sat at the table with a langid look. They had notable dark rings around their eyes, and their skin was pale, as if they hadn't slept much. Hermione stared at the two of them and eyed Harry, yet didn't dare to comment anything.

"You guys look like you've had a tough night!" Harry said passively, taking a bite of bacon.

"Yeah, was busy doing things." Commented Ron taking a piece of sausage into his mouth and devouring it.

"I'm still adapting to the change, it's not easy to adjust, everything is so alien to me!" Jake commented in a whisper, placing a strand of long hair behind his ear.

"I see..." Harry murmurred, taking another bite of bacon, "By the way, I'm meeting Luping in two weeks, since it's Saturday we coould meet after and go out." He added.

"Sounds good." Hermione voiced her opinion after a long, thoughtful silence.

Jake agreed with the boy and went into chewing his breakfast before classes. During his descent to the plate, he crossed eyes with Hermione for a brief second. The girl wasn't looking at him, but there was this light about her that captivated Jake. The feeble streaks of sun fell upon her like a shower, filtrting through the dense block of clouds that had appeared during the morning.

The fork, filled with a piece of toast, stopped in midway, Jake's mouth oppen and ready to receive it. The boy had just noticed the warmth of those chocolate eyes, the way her hair fell in dense curls the colour of autum. There was this deep, silent sadness about her, this strange sorrow that was buried proffoundly in his soul. Jake longed to reach that sadness and fill it with light and joy, yet ignored how. Suddenly, before the female student realized, Jake shook his head and fled himself of those thoughts.

"Get a grip, she's from the future, you must go back to the past. Don't fall for her, dumbass!" Jake said lowering his face to the plate and placing the toast into his mouth.

Nobody had noticed, that was something he was sure of, and specially Hermione didn't realice he had been gazing at her. So inmersed in his thoughts, in his troubled soul, Jake didn't notice the pair of intense blue eyes glaring at him with a hatred and a despise that sombered their brilliance to an intense, dull darkness.

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The group were sitting, relaxing on the common room after classes. It had been a grey day, and rain had been pouring all along it in bucketfulls. The past ten days had been very dull, and storm began to threaten in the distance. Ron was struggling with a rather nasty homework McGonagall had given him, and it was proving not only to be tedious but hard job. Clear eyes glanced back and forth across the tiny writting of a pictureless book, one which was as thick as his head.

Harry was concentrated, his eyes narrowed and fixedly placed on the dancing figure of the pendant he had retreived from Voldemort's cave. The red ruby kept twinkling at the light, but there was nothing magnificent about it, nothing magical. It was simply a necklace with a rather simple structure and design.

Hermione and Jake were seated by the fire. The girl was reading a book with tranquility, her chocolate eyes ran steadily across the lines of formed words. Jake was staring at her, his stomach was knotting and untieing as he ran his eyes across her body. The boy was glancing at her face, her nose, her lips, absorving every bit of her. Gorgeous might have been a word too vain for his thoughts, more like it was beautiful, tremendously beautiful.

"What are you looking at?" Inquired the woman looking up from her book.

"Er... me? I was wondering what you were reading!" Jake stuttered lightly, but managed to force a rather innocent smile.

Suddenly, the man snatched Hermione's book from her hands and raised it up to look at it. Hermione might tolerate being called Mudblood, but if one of her precious books was being tossed around it was a clear offence. Pressing her lips, the girl stood on her knees and attempted to get a catch at the book, while her face was the personification of anger. This seemed to amuse Jake, who smiled mischievously and raised the book higher while leaning backwards.

"Give me the book!" Hermione threatened looking purely rabid, "Or I'll...".

"You'll what?" Jake asked with a smirk.

Ron was gazing at the whole situation. If Hermione was angry, Ron was furious. Red was colonizing his face, and his eyebrows were burying his clear eyes into a veil of darkness. Something began to twitch in his stomach, something like a boiling pit steaming profusely. It might not have been there, but a nagging voice whispered at him in the back of his mind the reasons why he was taking it so personally.

"I'll... I'll curse you back to the past!" Hermione finished her threat, and somewhat she felt better, almost proud at her witty comment.

This took Jake off guard. The smile vanished from his face, and a strange weight fell upon his shoulders at the thought. It wasn't like him to feel like that, but somehow the boy felt wounded, hurt at the woman's menace. This made him question if that was really what she wanted, toss him back to the past and recover the normality of her world.

Taking advantage of Jake's unexplainable distraction, Hermione pounced forward and got a tight grip of the boy's right forearm. Inmediately, Jake gasped visibly, baring his teeth in a snake like hiss. The pressure on the book was released and the object fell down with a loud thud. In a chain effect, Jake lost his balance and fell backwards onto the carpeted floor, dragging Hermione along with him.

The girl ended on top of him and stared down at his eyes. Time froze, and a strange comprehension seemed to connect the two students as their eyes locked. Nobody else was around them, Hogwarts and its omnipresent pressence had faded as both breathed deep gulps of air. Their hearts were thumping, beating in a rythmic symphony of frantic paces. Jake whispered, or more like it, mouthed Hermione's name while his eyes smiled where lips couldn't. That made Hermione realice where she was, why she was there, and what she was doing.

The girl stood up very suddenly and stormed out of the common room in a rush, almost running over Neville and Ginny who were entering the room at that precise moment. Ron stood up from his homework and stormed after her, yet he took a brief second to stop and glare murderously at Jake before pursuing Hermione's steps. Jake stood up to a seated position, confused and terribly worried. It had never been in his intentions to hurt Hermione in any way, and he wasn't sure where he had failed. As Jake rubbed his right arm distractedly, his eyes fell suddenly on the closed book next to him.

"Curious..." he thought upon reading the title of the book.

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Ron walked around the dark corridors. Hermione was nowhere to be seen, but he was just sure where he could find her. The boy ran with light paces, taking much work avoiding making any strong sound, such maintaining himself hidden to the caretaker. Upon reaching the entrance, the boy pressed the door and entered. Inmediately, a collection of books surounded him, looking murkier and creepier than ever under the ocassional flash of far lightning.

"Hermione?" Ron ventured in a whisper, looking into the darkness and attempting to recognize the shadows.

No answer. It was logical, Hermione was so upset she didn't want to be spotted. However, Ron had not spent seven year with her not to know her likes and dislikes. Walking with agile paces, the boy entered the forbidden section and walked rapidly past the moaning books. There was a swaying, glass door at the end of the corridor, and Ron knew inmediately where Hermione was.

The woman was leaning on the stone fence that protected the balcony. Rain was pouring all over her, flattening her bushy curls to her face and back, leaving her hair sleek and shinny. Tears were blending with the rain that showered her face, making her skin glitter with a glossy shadow. Ron couldn't stop thinking that she looked almost like one of those greek venus, with her cloak sticked to her skin, accentuating the fine curves as the black cloth hugged her. The face, with that sad look in her lips and that strange, caotic calmness in the eyes.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ron asked, stepping on the balcony and beggining to feel the cold of the rain falling upon him.

"Leave me alone, Ron, please." Hermione said with an strangled voice, not looking at him and fixing her gaze on the depths of the Forbidden Forest.

"Please, tell me, if that son of an acromantula hurt you in any way, I'll..." Ron snarled, clenching his fists and walking closer to her.

"It's not him, Ron, it's me!" Hermione snapped slightly exasperated, "Please, I don't feel like talking about it." She finished with a sigh.

Ron relaxed visibly. Taking two more steps forward, the boy leaned on the railing next to her. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating the woman's face and making her look almost ethereal, like a godess or a nymph. Suddenly, things began to take shape in Ron's mind, things relating him and this young girl. The easy part was realizing that she was really beautiful, probably the prettiest woman he had ever seen. The hard part was admitting that he loved her. Probably she didn't feel that way about him.

"Hermione, do you love him?" Ron asked all of a sudden, looking serious as he stared at her.

Hermione tensed visibly at the abrupt and sharp of the question. The chocolate eyes stopped their flow of salty streams to turn and focus on the boy's face. It wasn't only that she was taken by surprise, it was also the answer that she was to give. The woman pondered about it for a long time. Minutes ticked past so slowly they seemed to be going backwards. The silence was so tense that Ron feared breathing since it could shatter. Finally, the woman decided upon an answer to the inquiry.

To Be Continued...

AN: What is Hermione going to answer to Ron? What is going to happen? Who is the shadow? What was Hermione reading? Too many questions, do you guys have the answer? Come on, if you people are good and review, I might give you a treat in the next chapter (WINKS).


	6. Loving You

"No." Her voice was firm and convinced, but there was this miserable resign in her movements, and in the sigh that escaped her humid lips.

Ron exhaled a contained breath with relief. It was always a growing hope when the person you loved was free, in both heart and body.

"Not yet." Hermione added after a few seconds.

"What do you mean?" Ron said with an strangled voice, his body froze, his muscles tensed, and his eyes scrutinized Hermione's chocolate eyes while they gazed into the darkness.

"I believe I am starting to fall in love with him..." Hermione said desperately, turning to look at Ron fixedly, pouring her heart onto his hands.

Ron glanced at the warmth and conffesion, at the sincerity and confidence he had been handed with. What was he to do with those weapons? If he used them to his favour, he would shatter Hermione's spirit, and have her for him. Ron felt devastated, his whole soul was at his feet, broken in a million tiny pieces and smeared with the blood of his destroyed heart. The boy smiled at the woman warmly, raising his eyes from his cupped hands, where the imagination had formed the shape of a beating heart.

"What is so bad about it? It's obvious he likes you." the boy asked, feigning not to understand much and prettending it amused him.

"What do you mean? It's obvious! Jake comes from the past!" Hermione spat angrily, rubbing her tears from the wet face using the upper side of her hand.

"So what? I come from the Burrow!" Ron argued, smiling at Hermione more vividly.

"How can you be so dense? Jake will eventually return, as long as we find a way to get him back. What will happen to me if I allow myself to love him? It'll break my heart!" Hermione snapped, "What if I change the future? What if he waits until he grows up to find me, and doesn't marry someone he had to?"

"Hermione, stop torturing yourself!" Ron snapped seriously, holding her shoulders, "What if I fall off this balcony and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named walks under it. What if I kill him and the prophecy never comes to work? What if the Dark Lord decided to kill my parents instead of Harry? What if he killed Harry when he was a baby?" Ron said seriously, "there are so many 'what ifs' that if we live thinking about them, our life would have been pointless."

Hermione tilted her head and raised an eyebrow at Ron's words.

"I'm not too good at this things, actually I usually ruin everything. However, I think you should give him a chance. If you don't love him when you had your oportunity, you will never forget yourself." Ron said, then scartched the back of his head looking slightly shameful, "That's what I think, but you know I'm quiet thick headed for this things."

"No, Ron, this time you have expressed perfectly." Said Hermione with a bright smile, looking vividly more animated.

Suddenly, the girl leaned forward and kissed Ron on the cheek, while embracing him tightly. Ron was slightly awkward at first, his arms stiff as if not knowing where to place them. Finally, Ron wrapped his gangly arms around Hermione's slim back. The woman cozed next to him and sighed peacefully, while Ron felt his joys vanishing. The realization that this would be the closest he would ever come to Hermione. Even although he was pleased at the confidence they had achieved, the jealousy towards Jake was rather noticeable.

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Jake was bewildered and dumbfounded. The boy stared at Harry, a questioning glance printed on his features. Shrugging, Harry stared at him intently, almost as if trying to put his finger onto something.

"What did I do?" Jake inquired, unable to realice what was so horrible, why he had caused such sorrow on the girl he loved.

"Hermione is a perfectionist. You come from the past, and she believes it would never work. Her follow of rules is so strict she will try to stay away from you, even if she was craving your bones. " Harry explained seriously, yet there was this slight sigh in his voice. "If you truly love her, let her be happy. You know you'll break her heart when you go back, and she doesn't deserve that." Harry's voice was almost a warning.

"I see... well, I guess I'll just stay away, and let her live." Jake answered with a great, deep exhale, sinking into a terrible ache that stabbed his heart.

The man stood up and walked towards the table, book tightly clutched in his hand. Dropping it gently, the man retreated towards his chambers. Glancing sideways, he made sure nobody was around before oppening the secret passageway, only to vanish right through it, inmersing into the darkness.

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The portrait of the Fat Lady swinged forward, and a rather excited Hermione penetrated the Common Room in a rush. There was a reddish flush on her cheeks, and her chocolate eyes twinkled brightly. The dark curls were plastered all over her body, and her clothes were damp.

"Where is he?" she shrieked while regaining her breath.

"Who?" harry eyed her bewildered, glancing at the woman as if she had just appeared.

"Jake! Where is Jake?" the female student asked again, staring at the boy sharply, leaning forward and sostaining her weight by placing her hands on the bent knees.

"Back in his room." Harry explained bewildered, staring at Hermione as if she was from another planet.

Without letting Harry explain, nor mentioning a single word, Hermione turned around and rushed towards the secret passageway. Ron was entering the common Room just when Hermione vanished through the darkness of the corridor, and the stones engulfed her. There was a sombre shadow wrapping him like a night veil, head hanging low and eyes miserable as he entered. With a grunt at Harry, Ron walked towards his room.

"What's with everyone today?" Harry groaned annoyed.

The pendant was stuffed back into his pant's pocket. Harry, then, ran after Ron. There was this nagging feeling in his head that told him he should speak with him.

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"Jake?" Hermione ventured shily, knocking softly on the door, yet entering the dormitory.

Jake's eyes flashed in the night, alert and curious. The girl recoiled lightly upon seeing the intense gaze he was giving her unknowingly. The man was laying on the four poster bed, the curtains open. School clothes were still on him, wrinkled, the shirt untied up to the chest. The shoes were scattered about, and the tie was hanging precariously from the back of a chair, threatening to fall.

"Hermione!" Jake exclaimed, standing up rapidly and straightening his clothes.

Without second words, the woman rushed towards him and embraced him tightly. Jake accepted the abrupt hug, surounding her with his arms. It was then that he realized the girl was soaked, that her hair was sleek due to the water, and the fact that she was shivering. Also, he realized that the pain he was suffering when being with her was terrible.

"What are you doing here, Hermione? You are soaked!" jake inquired with concern glinting in his eyes.

"I don't care, Jake, I don't care!" Hermione began to whail, her voice breaking into a sob as she looked up at him.

"You don't care about what?" the boy asked curiously and concerned.

"That you are from the past, or that we could change the future... I don't care!" Hermione sobbed more strongly as the shadow of a smile seemed to appear in her lips.

"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Jake inquired, narrowing his eyebrows suspiciously.

"I... I think I love you..." the girl answered more calm, yet she lowered her head shamefully.

The boy froze. There was a terrible internal struggle inside his mind and heart. The girl was beautiful, special, different from any other girl he had ever known. She was the most amazing creature he had ever seen. Yet, she was twenty years younger than he was, he could be her father. Harry's words began to echo in his mind.

"Hermione I..." jake said with a sigh, holding back the intense urges of hugging her and placing his lips around her mouth, he wa shaking his head back and forth, and had locked his gaze with the ground.

Narrowing her eyebrows, the sobbing subsided completely, the back straightened very erect. Hermione studied Jake's reaction, fear beggining to take consistence inside her body.

"Jake, do you love me?" Hermione inquired fearful, trying to reach his eyes.

"No..." whispered the man never raising his gaze from his fixed situation on the ground.

Eyes widdened, and a sombre shadow spread through them. The woman was very tense, she couldn't believe her ears. After all the illusions, all the thoughts, all her dreams, Jake had told her oppenly that he felt nothing for her. Betrayed was one of the emotions that she felt, but overall she was ashamed and hurt, and her soul and heart were torn and bleeding. There was no more to be spoken. Hermione turned around and left towards her chambers.

"Sorry..." Jake whispered miserably.

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Ron was beating the pillow with an anger Harry had never seen before. The boy growled, panted, snarled, and bit at it from time to time. Tears were dripping from his eyes, which were red and puffy, and so dull and dark they resembled the Lake's depths.

"Ron, stop it!" Harry bellowed, taking a tight grip of his arms before he chose to rip the pillow into shreds.

"Leave me alone!" Ron growled furiously, tugging at the boy brusquely and getting rid of the grip applied on him.

"What the heck is wrong with you?" Harry inquired angrily.

"She loves him, Harry, she loves him!" the boy moaned, his voice getting strangled by the need of crying.

"Oh my..." Harry whispered to himself, realization dawning on him. "Oh Ron..." the boy embraced his friend in a comforting hug, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't realize until now!" Ron spat, glaring at him slightly annoyed, "And I told her to get him, not to let him go. I've lost her!" Ron said sinking his head in his hands.

"Don't feel bad, Ron, Jake will leave, eventually, and I don't think he will try anything with her." Harry said soothingly, patting the boy's back.

"I don't want that! I want her to be happy, but I feel miserable because I can't have her." Ron said glancing at Harry and standing up very rapidly, "I love her so much I just want her to be happy!"

Those words said, Ron hurried out of the room. The conversation was all right, but shame, and an imperious need to be alone motioned him. Harry stood up rapidly and dashed after him. Once Harry emerged into the thick, intense darkess of the corridor, his paces stopped frozen. The boy looked back and forth, but nothing could be seen. Only the gentle pitter pat of padded feet could be heard echoing in the silence of the night.

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To Be Continued...

AN: Long chapter! Sorry for the delay but I've decided to continued writting my old, OLD story, The Wiccan. After a long, long time I take it back, and I think that one will end up to be a really good story.

By the way, here is what I promised, a teaser!

"How could he do that to me?" growled the boy angrily.

"I wish I could hide somewhere they couldn't find me..." the same boy wishes.

Suddenly a whirlpool of colours flashes before the boy.

'_A wish become true...'_

"Who are you?" Hermione asks.

SCENE CHANGE:

"Your name will be Jake Anderson, and you are here to license in Magic." McGonagall explains to the boy.

'_A boy that comes from the past...'_

"I know it!" Hermione said excitedly, making Jake shudder with doubt and fear.

"You do?" the boy asks fearfully.

'_A blooming love...'_

"I think I'm falling in love with him!" Hermione moans through whimpers, staring at Ron.

SCENE CHANGE:

"I've lost her!" Ron whimpers miserably.

'_Will they fight against time...'_


	7. The Animagi

The next days, Hermione and Jake were, carefully, avoiding each other. Their eyes would cross timidly, yet few words, and distant manners were to be used. Seated at the table, eating breakafast, a thick silence fell upon them. Stray eyes crossing gazes, looks of desire dimmed by doubt, and the most intense sadness drowning a shattered heart.

"It's the way it has to be..." thought Jake, taking a deep breath and placing a bite of bacon inside his mouth.

"It shouldn't be this way..." thought Hermione lowering her face and letting the thick curls hide it.

"What do I have to do? I love her..." Ron thought miserably, glancing at his plate as if it was a mirror to his soul.

"That's it!" snapped Harry angrily, clenching his fists tightly and slamming them on the table, at the time he stood up from the bench, "I'm sick of you all, and I'm leaving! I'm tired of seeing you lot mourning your misery..." the boy snarled with emphasis.

Right after this violent outburst, Harry stormed towards the exit under the curious and silent gaze of many students, including that of his friends. A few steps before reaching the enormous doors of access to the Great Hall, the boy turned around, apparently more relaxed.

"I'm going to be at Hogsmeade, if you find yourself fit, meet me there." With those last, tense words, the boy vanished, crossing Ginny on his path.

"Whoah, I call that waking up on the wrong side of the bed." Ginny commented animatedly, then turned to stare at the three kids, their faces so long they reached the stone floor, "What's wrong with you, guys?"

"Long story..." muttered Hermione staring at Jake almost accusatively.

"none of your business..." growled Ron standing up and avoiding any eye contact with anyone, "I've got things to do. See ya around."

Jake stared away, he was feeling so hurt, and, at the same time, he wanted to hit himself for being such a jerk.

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"Last night I managed to transform!" Ron explained excitedly, yet there was this shadow of doubt crossing his features.

"To transform? A complete transformation?" McGonagall was listening with attention and curiosity, her feline eyes penetrating his soul.

"I don't know what it can mean. I was feeling a strong emotion, and I just did. It is almost as if I was destined to become what I did!" Ron explained, staring at McGonagall, his eyes pleading explanation.

"Some animagi transform accidentaly, like some Born Werewolves. It is almost as if they had the potential to become animagi, as if it was natural in them, just they were waiting for the right moment to bloom." McGonagall explained with a glint of nostalgia in her eyes, "It is rare, however." She added.

"That happened to you?" Ron couldn't hold his question back, yet clamped his hand over his mouth while gasping, "Sorry..." he muttered shamefully.

"Forgiven. Yes, that's how I became an animagi, but that is not the matter we have in hands. Do you think you can transform again, Mr Weasley?" the headmistress inquired glancing at the youth intentily.

Nodding, Ron concentrated on the sensations felt while he was an animagi. The feeling of naked pads, trotting almost silently across the night. The muscular and agile body, with that touch of clumsiness only belonging to that specie. The increased scent, being able to smell the coldness of the night, and the warmth of living creatures. Acute hearing, the calls of Harry, Hermione sobbing, and the gentle, and not so gentle snoring of several students. Eyes watching in blue and yellow. Freedom, he had felt the estatic sense of freedom rushing through his veins as he ran across the corridors, blending with the night, and emerged into the stormy night.

"Goodness me..." gasped the Headmistress, staring at the animal standing before her.

Ron oppened his blue eyes and smiled lightly, oppening his mouth to reveal a collection of fangs, sharp molars and strong jaws. A long, pink tounge lolled out of his mouth, and a fluffy tail drummed on the ground with a rythmic movement. The boy knew he had done it, and he was also conscious that it was as surprising for McGonagall as it had been for him.

The woman had stood up to stare at the boy, now transformed into beast. The sharp ears, long muzzle, strong legs, firm back, and black fur covering every inch of his body. It was a strange Deja Vu, the pressence of that same black dog, mixture between a husky and a wolf, lingering in the mists of her memory.

"What does it mean?" Ron questioned, recovering humanity and staring at the woman with desperate fear.

"I don't know, Ron, I don't know." McGonagall said looking thoughtful and worried.

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Jake was seated on the common room, on the floor, next to the fireplace. Attentiol full on Hermione, who was placidly seated with her back against the wall, reading that mysterious book, he began to ponder. Suspicion kept arriving at him, with her sudden interest in that type of book, and he thought he was, somehow, guilty of that, in a way. Turning his head left and right, he continued to study her placid face, her fine features, as his mind swam across his thoughts.

"Jake, would you mind to stop watching me that way? It's really exasperating as I am attempting to read." Hermione commented harshly, never retiring her eyes from her lecturing.

"Sorry, I was just thinking..." the boy said lowering his head in shame, and placing a strand of hair behind his ear.

"About what?" this time, Hermione raised her face with curiosity.

"Ah... about... er... about the way I got here, I still wonder about that." Jake explained nervously, as if there was something he shouldn't be saying.

"Tell me about it, you never explained to me fully what happened..." Hermione inquired, shutting her book and smiling gently at the boy.

Jake, swallowing with trouble, did as he was told and explained the story with as much detail as he could remember. Obviously, he skipped the details about names, but added that he was feeling hurt and wanted to find a place to hide and not be found. Then he spoke about Luna, but ignoring her name, he simply described her looks. It wasn't hard for Hermione to guess who was the girl, specially when Jake told her about the 'Soul Bitting Ghoul' or whatever it was called.

"Luna was there?" Hermione thought for a few seconds about what the boy had said, "And she said she wanted a friend..."

"Right!" Jake answered more animatedly, seeing how he and Hermione were on friend mood again.

"Could you have reached the seventh floor without realizing it?" Hermione inquired calmly, yet there was something strangling her slowly, a pain pressing at her heart.

"Probably, it was pretty high, why?" the boy questioned curiously.

"I think I have found a way to get you back..." Hermione explained sadly, staring at Jake with longing.

Ron, hidden in the shadows next to the entrance, gasped. The boy had heard everything, and realization dawned inside him, as well as a cruel sensation of hope he tried to push away.

To Be Continued...

AN: Sorry for the delay, and for the shortness of this chapter. I have been very busy at work this past week, and I havn't been much inspired either, but I think I've got things planned out pretty well. Also I'm continuing The Wiccan, which, I hope, to have finished before the summer ends. For you people, you should check A Life To Live, my favourite story from all I've written. Well, keep reading, and I hope you are enjoying this.


	8. The Secret Tower

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Remus was sitting right in front of Harry. The Three Broomsticks was full of people at that time of the afternoon, and the ammount of witches and wizards had increased in the past year. Fear was roaming all about since Voldemort's return, and people wanted to stick together, something that made them feel safer.

"Well?" inquired Remus silently, but the vivid glitter in his eyes demonstrated interest and concern.

"I promised this to Voldemort, but I can't do it alone..." Harry comented looking worried, nervous and extremely guilty.

"Tell me, Harry. I will help you in whichever way I can." Remus said with a weak smile.

"Voldemort divided his soul in seven parts, and placed them inside objects called horcruxes. Three have fallen, a locket, a diary and a ring. Four more to go, something from Gryffindor, something from Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff's goblet, and the snake." Harry explained in a tremulous hiss, "To kill Voldemort we must destroy all the horcruxes." He added.

"But how am I to help you?" Remus asked, his face was pale and shock flashed in his features.

"I am confined inside the castle, I can't go to search for them. All I can do is learn more about Horcruxes. Will you help me please?" Harry begged, his eyes were almost teary, and his face looked desperate.

"Of course I will, Harry. Don't worry, I will inform you about my progress on the matter." The werewolf said managing a feral grin.

"Thanks a lot!" Harry snapped efusively, pouncing on the man and embracing him tightly.

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The four Gryffindors, that is, Jake, Hermione, Ginny and Ron, walked towards the Three Broomsticks. The last week's rain had left place to a gentle, soft and almost placid snow. A slim layer of white moss seemed to be blooming, covering the world with a veil of inexistent purity and calm. The four teenagers were wrapped on a thick coat, scarf, gloves, and warm pants to keep away the horrible descent of temperature they were suffering.

"Look, there is Harry. HEY, HARRY!" Ron snapped animatedly, pointing at the boy and then leaping and waving to call his attention.

Harry glanced at the group from the distance and waved discretely. The boy was situated at the entrance of the Three Broomsticks, and was talking seriously with an older man, who seemed ruffled and was wearing ragged clothes. Returning to the man, Harry shook his hand while exchanging some unhearable words. The man, returning the words, apparated and vanished, leaving Harry free to share the night with his friends.

There was something familiar about that man, something that kept nagging in the depths of Jake's mind. It was someone he had known a long time ago, someone with whom he had shared pranks and fun, and things not so fun. A strange fear began to stab him with cold blades as Jake realized he had started to forget all about his life at Hogwarts, his life twenty years ago.

"Moony?" inquired the boy in a silent whisper.

"What were you saying?" questioned Hermione who was standing next to him.

"No, nothing." The boy whispered miserably as thoughts and curiosity began to hit him on the brain, telling him to ask, to discover what had happened.

The group left the main street and retired into the narrower alleys. There was a rather juvenile pub neraby that had been oppened by a former Hogwarts student, not much time ago. It had been an animated walk, except for Jake who was depresively inmersed in his thoughts. Harry had forgiven the teenagers, and had said sorry for his outburst. Ron was strangely animated, although the confussion for his animagi had subsided, there was this pride nagging him to transform.

Hermione was staring at Jake, wondering why of his thoughtfulness and his silence. The thoughts of the strange familiarity returned to her, the realization that this boy was more than he said he was. The chain of thoughts was cut abruptly when Harry anounced they were there. It was a rather normal looking place called Teen Mage, and a loud, thumping music boomed from its depths.

The five friends seated around a table and asked for various alcoholic drinks, like firewhisky and butterbeer. They enjoyed a tranquil day at Hogsmeade, and forgot all about Voldemort, the war, the terrible deaths such as Dumbledore's and Sirius', and became the seventeen year old teenager they were.

"I love this song!" shrieked Hermione all of a sudden, "Ron, come to dance with me!" the girl almost demanded.

At first, Ron wasn't too convinced about it. Finally he gave in at the pleading look Hermione was sending him. Ginny and Harry laughed, and Jake looked lost, and terribly jealows, but feigned he didn't care as the two swayed and moved over the dance floor. Ron was clumsy, and seemed to own two left feet since he kept stepping over Hermione's boots constantly. The girl smiled patiently, but looked slightly annoyed at this fact.

"May I?" Jake inquired, walking towards the couple and smiling proudly, "Learn from the master." He added with a wink at Ron.

Fuming, Ron retired towards the stool Jake had occupied earlier. The two began dancing, more agile, with more class, and deffinitely, while Jake kept a hint of clumsiness in his movements, he had everything under control such that he made it look natural. The song slowed down, and the two children realized of their closeness. The warmth of their bodies placed next to each other, their breaths, and the way their hands held the other gently, yet firmly.

Jake leaned forward, threatening to kiss the girl, his eyes focused on hers, his lips eager. Ron was fuming, Harry was expectant and Ginny was excited. Hermione was glancing at Jake with that crystaline look, that desire as, she too, wanted to feel the firmness and softness of his lips pressed against her own, fleshy mouth. In the very last moment, when the humidity was becoming apparent, Hermione turned her face away, her cheeks tinting with a pinkish blush.

"Sorry..." whispered Jake looking sideways shamefully, realizing her refusal.

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It was nearly Christmas eve. Almost three months had passed since Jake's arrival, and the early snow during mid December still hadn't vanished. No more comments were made about the incident at the juvenile pub, and, with the passing days, the three children involved had managed to act as if nothing had happened. Internally they had a struggle with their feelings and what was correct, but they knew well that what they wanted didn't mean it was right. With a sigh, Harry rested his head on his fist. Who would have thought love would be so complicated, more than the horcrux thing.

Upon finding the right lecture, searching here and there, and receiving important information from the order, Harry had learned the steps and sortiledges to conjure a horcrux. It wasn't like he was planning on doing any horcrux for himself, but this allowed him to understand the horcruxes much better, and helped him fight Voldemort with more ease. In fact, he learnt that if a man's horcrux is destroyed, the original soul will be weaker than when it was whole. That meant Voldemort will be nothing but a weak piece of flesh when all his horcruxes were destroyed.

As if summoned by the late thoughts, a snowy owl fluttered through the window. There was an envelope tied to the fluffy, white leg. Inside the envelope there was a parchment. Only seeing the cursive, neat handwritting, Harry knew it was from Remus. The boy placed his finger such that Hedwig could nip at it, while his green eyes ran across the parchment distractedly.

"Harry.

Mission Managed. Gryffindor's Cloak, Ravenclaw's Sceptre, Hufflepuff's Goblet destroyed. Nagini killed.

Well, enough with the joke. We have managed to find and destroy the horcruxes. Nobody was injured, except Mad Eye, who got his wooden leg bitten by a swarm of ravenous termites during one of the trials. It has to be carved new, and he says you will pay him a new leg when you kill Voldemort.

Take care, Harry, and owl me if you need something else.

Affectively:

Remus Lupin."

Harry shrieked with delight. The tone of cheerfulness that Remus had while writting his letter was contagious, and it meant everything had gone great. There was still the doubt as to who is RAB, but, while glancing at the red pendant, he realized it didn't matter any more as long as the horcruxes were destroyed. Now he would have to find Voldemort and kill him before he realized all his horcruxes were gone, Harry doubted Voldemort would cease to realice Nagini's dissapearance.

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Chocolate eyes glanced rapidly through various books, all relating the topic that interested the young, female student. Delicate hands danced lovingly over the leader cover of the lecture items. There was this deep desire to study, to learn, to know. Images flashed through her mind, images of a black shadow with bright blue eyes, staring at her lovingly, concerned. Thoughts of the running shadow being followed by the strong, heavy body of a mare. The tip of her fingers picked a book and began pulling it out of the shelf.

"I see you want to become an animagi!" commented a maleish, gentle voice from the depths of the darkness.

Hermione gasped loudly, her whole body tensed visibly, making a small, spasmodic leap upwards. The result was that the book she was grasping so tenderly fell off her grip and collided strongly with the stony ground, the dark cover blending with the shadows. A rapid movement of her head, an even swifter hand, and Hermione was ready to face the intruder, wand in hand.

"Relax, it's just me!" the familiar voice snapped fearfully, the figure raising the hands upwards while approaching the girl so she could see him more clearly.

"Jake..." Hermione whispered surprised, glancing at the boy before her, "You idiot! Don't sneak at me from behind, I could have cursed you!" the woman snapped angrily.

"Sorry, Hermione. I was just worried you weren't coming, it's very late!" Jake comented calmly, lowering his hands and eyeing her concerned.

"Well... I was so inmersed in my studying, I didn't realice it was this late." Hermione said hurriedly, feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks, having been taken off guard.

"I see you are interested in animagi..." Jake said glancing at the section of books, all about animagi.

"Yes, well, it is an interesting topic, and I would like to try and learn about it, perhaps try to transform." Hermione added with a more excited voice, leaning down and picking up the book that had fallen off the shelf.

"You really want to? Books are fine, but there are much better ways to learn!" Jake explained, leaning against the shelf and crossing his arms.

"Really? How?" Hermione inquired looking sceptical.

"Follow me!" Jake added holding Hermione's hands and staring at her with an intense gaze she had never seen, one full of confidence and mischief.

The woman nodded shyly and followed Jake out of the library. Jake placed a hand inside his pocket and took out a piece of parchment. Hermione heard him murmur some words she did not understand, but gave it no importance. From time to time, Jake would eye the parchment in his hand and guide the woman through one murky corridor or through a creepier one.

"It's here!" the boy said, hissing a password at a dog shaped statue.

The dog, more similar to a wolf than to a dog, became alive and sprang aside, revealing a spiral staircase which was narrower and darker than any corridor Hermione remembered. Jake pulled her inside, and the dog hid the secret passageway. Both students walked upstairs, taking care not to step falsely on the small steps. Finally Jake pushed the square, wooden door open, and emerged into the light.

Hermione followed with anticipation and a slight, nervous excitement. The girl gasped with awe and surprise, the glimmer in her eyes showed the wonder and magic she was feeling at the moment. It was a tower, the tallest tower from the castle, and from there everything could be seen. The night was clear and bright, so the shadows were speckled with silver glitters here and there, a pale luminity transformed the snow into crystal.

"Jake, this is beautiful!" Hermione gasped glancing back and forth, drinking every single thing she was able to see.

"Do you like it?" Jake inquired, dropping the parchment onto the ground and standing next to her, to enjoy the beauty of the looks.

"I love it!" Hermione gasped, clasping her hands together and turning to stare at the boy.

The both of them locked eyes. Time stopped for a brief moment as the two drowned inside the gaze of one another. Their hearts were beating furiously as the two approached slowly, leaning towards each other. Jake stopped dry, frozen, conscience shaking him out of his dream like state abruptly. A single, gentle tear was running across Hermione's cheek, a crystaline drop of sadness and despair.

"Hermione, what...?" Jake inquired, feeling very guilty and worried all of a sudden.

"I'm sorry, Jake... I can't." Hermione answered looking sideways, making her decition firm.

Jake sighed deeply, lowering his gaze towards the starry clarity of the snow below his feet. The boy let his weight drop on the snow, allowing his body to sink into the pure white depths of cold humidity. There was that terrible ache puncturing his heart, and Jake had to shut his eyes tightly and concentrate to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall. The boy hadn't seen Hermione turning away with a guilty feeling, only to stare at the parade that had wondered her so much, filling her with so much joy. There was something he had seen, however, there, laying next to him. A piece of old parchment.

"Mischief Managed..." he whispered at the yellow parchment distractedly, after a few seconds of staring at it, "Yeah right, I sure hoped so..." Jake added miserably.

Hermione had been staring at the inmensity of the white ocean laying frozen below her feet. Just like a horse after hearing something strange, the girl raised her head with attention. There were a few seconds in which she seemed to be pondering about what she had heard. Finally, Hermione turned around and stared at the parchment, realizing in its emptiness what it was.

"How did you do that?" the girl inquired glancing at the boy suspiciously, narrowing her brows as if attempting to observe him better.

"Hu?" Jake tilted his head to one side, and looked uncertain while staring at the young student.

"Who are you?" Hermione's voice was a whisper as she questioned Jake, her eyes studying the boy with attention.

Back and forth, without waiting for a response, the woman's eyes ran across Jake's body and face. The hair was sleek, not too long, reaching up to the boy's cheek, with shorter strands falling over his forehead and eyes. There was a pitch night in the boy's hair colour that was terribly familiar to Hermione, yet she couldn't put her finger on it. A slight tan covered the young man's skin, making him manly. In balance contrary were the fine features, resembling him to a young boy, the mischievous lips, childish cheeks and face, small nose, and large, bright eyes. There was no doubt that Jake was a very atractive man.

There was something about those eyes that captivated her, as well as a strange familiarity. The boy's eyes were a bright, crystal clear colour, yet there was a magical depth in them that was hypnotizing. The fact that she was strangely familiar with those orbs kept disturbing her greatly. Trying to find out why she was so obsessed with those pair of clear eyes, the woman realized they were a bright, ocean colour surounded by a ring of darker blue. Suddenly, Hermione recoiled fearfully as images began to flash across her brain, images of realization. Hermione knew.

To Be Continued...

AN: WOHOO! Almost the end, almost the end. Now she has found out, what will she do? What will happen? Will jake go back? And, most importan, who is Jake? Well, keep reading and I hope you keep enjoying this story. Probably the next chapter will be the last, but I'm not sure.


	9. Hermione's Discovery

"Oh my God..." the woman gasped taking a step back.

The boy tilted his head with confusion, staring at the woman as if she was speaking in japanese. Inside his body, however, he was trying to restrain a fearful coldness that was slowly flowing through his muscles, freezing them.

"Sirius..." Hermione whispered slowly, placing a hand across her mouth to hide it while recoiling a second step.

"Ah!" Jake's blue eyes widdened visibly, and his whole body tensed at Hermione's words.

"You are Sirius Black!" Hermione snapped pointing at Jake with an accusing finger, while keeping her mouth covered by her shaky hand, hand being moistened by an intense flow of tears.

"Hermione... I..." Jake stood up abruptly, yet stopped. What was he to say? That it was not true? That he really was Jake Anderson? Looking down, Jake shut his eyes tightly and clenched his fist with equal strength. No more lies.

"You are right, I am Sirius Black but..." Suddenly he looked up, realization dawning in his fine features, "You know me?" he inquired very seriously.

"I... I did!" Hermione sobbed, her shoulders shaking almost painfully.

"What happened to us! What happened to me?" Sirius snapped with desperation, exploding his doubts finally.

"I can't tell you!" the girl spat with a desperate shriek.

"Why not? Why can't you tell me?" Sirius inquired with horror, curiosity and tension accumulated from his stance in a time not his own.

"Because I can't tell you you are dead!" Hermione snapped finally, unable to hold back her sorrow.

"Dead?" At this, Sirius froze and recoiled, fear filling him with a cold much more harsh than the phisical one he was feeling at the moment.

"James and Lily, they were betrayed by Peter Pettigrew and Voldemort killed them. You were accused of murdering him and a group of muggles along, and were sent to Azkaban. You ran away when you found out Peter Pettigrew was alive, and went after him to kill him. But he escaped. Two years ago, during a fight in the Department Of Mysteries, Bellatrix Lestrange threw a curse at you and you fell through a veil. Peter is still alive, and sided with Voldemort, and Remus is miserable and lonely." Hermione explained through tears and strangled sobs.

"That... that can't be..." Sirius whispered silently, feeling horrified at the short summary of the past twenty years.

"Do you understand now... Sirius?" Hermione said visibly more relaxed, while rubbing the tears off with her hand.

"I... I can't let that happen, I have to go back!" Sirius snapped suddenly, staring at Hermione with a seriousness and a determination that was scary.

Suddenly, the boy rushed towards the hole through which they had emerged onto the tower. A firm grip on his wrist stopped him abruptly. Sirius turned his head to stare at Hermione's sad, yet hard features.

"I'm sorry, Sirius. You will have to go back, eventually, but you can't change anything." Hermione said holding back new, fresh tears, and shaking her head slowly.

"Bu... But it's not fair!" Sirius exclaimed looking angrily at Hermione.

"I know it isn't, but that's the way it is." The girl responded with a shrug, releasing the grip on the boy's wrist and managing a weak smile.

Sirius relaxed yet his clear eyes kept glancing at Hermione as if she was lying, perhaps throwing a prank at him. How much he wished all this was just a prank. There was the deep knowledge that Hermione was saying truth, and that hurt him greatly. The boy felt his features began to ache as the muscles from his face contorted in a forced position. Warmth was being spread all over his cheeks as a silent crying affected him. A river of emotions kept flowing like waterfalls, drowning him in a terrible confusion. There were so many things he would have never thought, and overall, he was so innocent as to trust weak, ambitious Pettigrew with his life, if neccesary.

The woman felt more tears itching into her eyes. Opening her eyes, Hermione took a step forward to embrace the young man sobbing before her. Sirius had collapsed, the tension, the sudden knowledge of what awaited for their future had managed to shake his firm, strong spirit. Suddenly, the two students looked up alarmed by a synister, cruel, hiss like voice that was bellowing on the grounds.

The two kids rushed towards the stone railing. Leaning over, they were able to find three figures, all dressed in black, standing on the purity of the snow. A tall, strong looking one, who was the one yelling threats. The second one was a small, plump man curled next to the tall figure. The last one was a slim man with greasy hair and with a look of sufficience on his face.

"Voldemort!" gasped Hermione terrified.

"Pettigrew..." growled Sirius with an inhuman, animalistic sound.

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"Come out, coward! Now nobody is going to protect you, Harry." A cruel, hissy voice yelled out in the night.

Harry raised his head and rushed towards the window, his right hand stuffing the fake locket into his pant's pocket. The boy pulled the window open and looked outside. A gasp strangled his voice as he saw, with hope and horror, the tall, slender figure with white skin and blood red eyes of Voldedmort.

"Ah, my dear Harry. You managed to fool me one last time... now I will destroy you, and when I do... your death will be my next Horcrux!" Voldemort hissed, drawing out his wand and motioning at Harry to get down.

"I'll go!" Harry growled, standing very straight and looking as brave as he could, althought his hands were trembling and his forehead was sweaty.

"You'll go where?" Ron inquired staring at his friend from his bed, looking drowzee.

"I'll go kill Voldemort and end this forever!" Harry snapped tensely, yet with an anger and determination that bloomed from each of his pores.

"What?" Ron snapped, sitting very straight and awake, and staring at Harry with fearful, ocean eyes. "Are you crazy? He'll kill you!" the boy responded.

"If I don't risk it, he will kill much more people, including most of your family, Ron!" Harry was furious, not with his friend, but at the thought that this monster and his lot had killed an unimaginable ammount of innocent people.

Words said, Harry rushed out of the room, not wanting to share any more words with Ron, not wanting to say good bye. As frightening as this situation may be, Harry was very hopeful. There was a great chance with Voldemort so weakened, now that he was mortal again. Finally, the boy emerged into the white and velvet blue night, and straightened while facing the monster before him.

"You are here... good. Let's fight then!" Voldemort saluted elegantly with his wand.

Harry returned the salut, and the fight began with a swift Sectusempra from Harry, but Voldemort avoided it with the ease of a master. Bad luck, yet it had just been the first attack, Voldemort was weak and he couldn't have the same strength as when he had his Horcruxes. The older man fired a cruciatus, but Harry evaded it easily. A second attempt with Harry, a jelly legs curse, and Voldemort stepped aside as if he had known all the time what Harry was going to do.

Hermione and Jake arrived at that very moment to the battle field, but none of the combatants realized. Ronald Weasley appeared right after the couple did, when the battle was at its most agresive point. The boy saw Snape, he saw the sneer, the wand being raised and being pointed at Hermione. Terror filled him as an Avada Kedabra was already flashing on the tip of Snape's wand. Suddenly, he knew what he had to do.

Hermione was thrown to the floor when a heavy weight fell upon her. A flash of green light flew over her fallen body, and Hermione realized she had been save from a sudden and unexpected death. Oppening her eyes to stare at her saviour, Hermione saw a black dog laying on her body, his clear, bright blue eyes staring at her with a love and a care she had never known.

"Sirius..." the girl whispered with a smile, her breath had left her momentarily.

The black dog pricked his ears and raised his head lightly, tilting the long muzzle with incomprehension. There was something different about him, about the way he was looking at her. It was a painful way of love, of caring for her knowing. At this thought Hermione gasped loudly. The dog loved her, no matter what, although he knew she would never be able to love him back. Raising her eyes, Hermione met Sirius' human figure staring at the two.

"Ron?" the girl inquired, staring at the black dog as he stood up.

With a last glance, the dog smiled lovingly at the woman, and trotted away agily.

"Be careful with Snivellus, he is a treacherous viper!" Sirius said with loving care, glaring at Snape and staring at Hermione with a gentle smile.

Words said, the boy dissapeared completely, only to be replaced by a black dog with crystal blue eyes. Sirius trotted towards where Pettigrew was safely appart from the battelfield, motioning from time to time as if he was punching an invisible attacker. A black dog appeared before him, startling the man and making him leap.

"Hello Wormtail." Sirius growled low and calm, yet his eyes flashed with ice, full of rabid anger.

"Sirius! Impossible, you are dead!" proclaimed the rat animagi pointing at the dog with his silver hand, hence it was shaking noticeably.

"Hello, Rat!" a second voice, different and extremely similar, said from the man's back.

"AH!" the man shrieked upon seeing the same black dog standing right behind him. "This is impossible!"

"You betrayed James and Lily, you betrayed me, you murderer!" Sirius growled, pacing towards Pettigrew while baring his sharp fangs, to finally end his words with a loud, angry bark.

"No, no, I can explain it!" Pettigrew said recoiling until he tripped and fell to the ground backwards.

"What can you explain, assasin? How you dragged Cedric Diggory to his death? How you left a child orphan and marked all his life?" Ron said lowering his head and growling deeply, baring his fangs and looking wild.

"No... wait... I can... NO!" Pettigrew attempted to cover his face, to protect himself, but there was no way.

The two dogs, full of anger, leapt upon the man and began pursuing it across the grounds. Pettigrew began running across the grounds, too frightened to transform into the rat he was. Blinded by fear, the old animagi didn't realice he had penetrated the Forbidden Forest, yet he realized Ron and Sirius had stopped their pursue. A cracking sound, like the snapping of a twig, alerted him. Peter looked around in time to see a pair of hungry eyes situated in a mass of silver hair, and fear froze his muscles. With a growl, the werewolf had fell upon the small plump man, its fangs began to rip cloth, to shred skin, to tear flesh and gnaw bones. Pettigrew's yells of pain and suffering were heard throughout the grounds.

A trembling hand was placed over her lips as she saw, with fear, the two dogs returning from the edge of the forbidden forest. Relief filled her as she realized the two animals were clean, no blood or shred of skin was hanging from their fangs. A second thought, more like an intuition, drew Hermione out of her reverie. Severus Snape was doing a non verval spell. Autimatically she responded with a non verval disarming charm, that took Snape off guard. There was a light explosion and the former proffesor's wand flew away, leaving him weak and weaponless. Hermione managed a proud grin.

"How weird..." thought Harry while firing another charm at Voldemort, who avoided it once again with unexplainable ease, "it's almost as if he knew before hand which is going to be my next movement."

Realization flashed before his eyes in the form of theory. Something very odd was happening, and, as far as he knew, Voldemort was not using occlumency since he would have detected it. There must be another way in which the Dark Lord was predicting Harry's moves. Fear pierced his soul as he realized something, his father's death, his mother's protection, the way he felt the scar hurting every time Voldemort was feeling an strong emotion. Nagini was not the Horcrux, he was.

Harry was conscious that he had to die to kill Voldemort, it would be the only way, but he had to comunicate it to his friends so they could finish him off. Feeling the small lump inside his pocket, Harry pondered different solutions, and finally decided upon not thinking, simply acting before the evil Voldemort realized that he had managed to find out. The youth grinned widely and pulled out the fake locket.

"Avada Kedabra!" Harry bellowed pointing his wand at Severus Snape, the thirst of revenge fresh in his eyes, glinting like venom.

It took Snape by surprise, and he was dead before he realized someone had attacked him. Hermione shrieked, Ron and Sirius whimpered, and Voldemort gasped with surprise. Secondly, Harry pointed his wand at his scar and traced it, thinking up the complicated sortilege he had read. A shred of green mist came out from his scar, dragging the same along with it. The boy then pointed the wand at the locket, and the bit of soul he had ripped from himself was placed inside the item, which glowed green for a few instants.

"No, why you little..." Voldemort growled, raising his wand to point it at the boy.

Inmediatly, Harry made a destruction spell, and the locket shattered and exploded into a million pieces, destroying the bit of soul inside it. That was it, that Horcrux was the last bit of Voldemort's soul. The Dark Lord felt the consequences inmediately, when his whole body weakened and began to fall to the ground. Smiling proudly, and coldly, Harry walked towards the fallen, old man, now so devastated it was almost pitying. With a last curse, one final killing curse, Voldemort was dead.

Suddenly, there was a loud, booming cheer breaking and shattering the silence of the night. Harry looked up, and human Sirius and Ron, along with Hermione also glanced at the castle. The windows were full of students, cheering and chorusing Harry's name with joy and excitement. The Headmistress nodded solemnly at them. The threat was gone, the menace was long vanished, and the fear was killed with Voldemort's downfall.

"Hermione!" Sirius rushed up to the girl ad embraced her tightly.

"Sirius..." the girl sighed, accepting the hug and returning it with equal strength.

Harry turned to look at the couple, and he realized. As blind as he had been, finally he noticed that the familiarity of the man was his resemblance to the Sirius in Snape's pensieve. With a smile, and a flow of nostalgia, the young hero saw that this was Sirius Black, his father's best friend, and the owner of Hermione's heart.

"Hermione, I love you!" Sirius snapped all of a sudden, looking intensely into her brown eyes.

The girl looked sideways, tears began to stream through her cheeks. The ache in her heart was great, but she couldn't lie to herself much longer or it would kill her. Ron's words echoed in her mind, the advice of giving him a chance, of loving him when she still had an oportunity, of never regretting not having been able to tell him how much she cared.

"I love you, I love you, ok? I love you more than I thought I could, and I'm sorry I fell in love with you because it can never work, you'll have to go back, and... I'll stay here. But I can't hide it any more, I can't keep it to myself, I LOVE YOU!" Hermione said in a rushed voice, through strangled sobs.

"Oh... I don't know what to say." Sirius said feeling a light blush creeping up his cheeks, while scratching the back of his head.

Suddenly, Hermione pounced upon him, and the both of them fell onto the moist, frozen snow. It had taken Sirius off guard, but the woman had pressed her lips against his. At first he was shocked, but soon enough his eyes began to close, and his lips returned the kiss while a pair of arms embraced her waist.

Every time Hermione repeated each word of her conffesion was like a blade tearing Ron's heart. In silence, the man walked back into the castle. Watching Hermione's delighted expression, her happiness, it made Ron understand everything. Now he knew what he had to do, and, as much as it frightened him, he loved Hermione so much that he would give his life for her.

"Proffesor McGonagall, I need your help." Ron said very seriously once he had reached the Headmistress' office.

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"Where is Ron?" Hermione inquired looking around, but nothing, except Harry and Sirius, and a veil of white emptiness was there.

"I don't know, he was here a moment ago." Harry said also looking around upon noticing the boy's dissapearance.

"Maybe he is back in the common room." Sirius noted, looking at the large, wooden doors that were hanging open, with a couple of holes from the curses fired.

To Be Continued...

AN: Ok, I had to split this because it wouldn't fit whole, but this and the last chapter were, originally, one single chapter.


	10. Giving Two Lives

Hermione rushed inside, dragging Sirius along, and Harry followed. There was a horrible feeling nagging into the back of her head. When the trio reached the common room, all they saw was a piece of parchment placed on the table, held down by the weight of a decorative ashtray. The woman ripped it out harshly and began reading, while tears started to form in her eyes, and her hands began to tremble.

"Dear Hermione.

Don't try to stop me, but probably I'll be gone by the time you read this note. Deffinitely, I hope so. Sorry it has to be this way, and sorry it has taken me seven years, and a whole deal of quarrels to figure this out. I love you.

I was hopeful, in a way, that Jake, or Sirius, would return back to his time, and then I would have freedom to conffess it and, perhaps, that you would return my feeling. Today I realized, however, that it was not only selfish, but futile. You love him, Hermione, more than you could ever love any one, and you can only be happy if you are with him. The same happens to me with you, but, I love you so much, as a woman, as a friend, that I would give two lives for you, just so you can be happy.

That is what I'm doing. I'm replacing Sirius in the past. McGonagall has shifted my features to make me look like him. Don't worry, I know you must be scowling now, I won't change anything, indeed, I'll let things go as they have to. This is the way things have to be, the destiny has been hinting me for this. My animagi shape, my eyes and Sirius' eyes.

I know I will see you again, sadly you will not realice it's me. Finally I will be killed by Bellatrix, and that will be all. Just promise me one thing before I finish this letter, although probably I have already entered into the Room of Requirement. Promise me you will be happy, that you won't run after me in an epic search, and overall, promise me that your first son will be called Ronald. No, that last one was a joke, are you smiling?"

"Of course I am, you goof!" Hermione exclaimed through tears.

"I have to go now, Hermione. Just one last thing. Thank you for everything you have done for me, thank you for letting me copy your homework off. Overall, thank you for being my friend, the best one I have ever had. Say good bye to everyone for me, ok?

I love you, Hermy.

Yours Always:

Ronald Weasley."

The wooman broke into tears, Harry was on the verge of them. Sirius embraced the two friends in a comforting hug. It was the way it had to be, but that didn't mean it had to be fair and easy.

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Ron emerged into the darkness, the same, murky, creepy darkness he had seen into the corridor before entering the portal. At first he thought it hadn't worked, however he realized it was a cool night, yet his thick sweater was making him sweat so he pulled it off. Another thing was the fact that there was not a bit of snow outside, like it had been back at his time.

"Oh, finally I found you! I've been looking all over for you!" a voice said behind himself.

Ron turned around and came face to face with a boy about his age, dark, messy hair and a pair of glasses.

"Harry?" Ron snapped automatically.

"Who?" the man inquired, looking confused.

It was then that he saw the little changes. The glasses were square instead of round and large. The eyes were brown instead of green. The face was slightly different, and there was this happy, mischievous expression in his eyes. It had worked.

"Oh, nothing, I just kind of fell asleep and had this really odd dream!" Ron explained, staring at the man and seeing how he looked convinced by this excuse.

"Well, I wanted to say sorry for not telling you about Lily, and for forgetting our plans." James said looking sincere, scratching his head and looking outside.

"It's ok, James. Sorry for running away like that, it was kind of selfish!" Ron said patting the boy's shoulder and smiling happily.

"Friends?" James inquired looking slightly relieved.

"Friends!" Ron answered energetically, hugging the man affectively.

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"I got it! I got the Horcrux!" Ron, or the actual Sirius Black said triumphantly, while a weak Kreacher was laying at his feet, moaning.

The boy wrote a note to the man who had created this horrible, evil item. Ron smiled upon writting the name, only initials. The man knew who would be the next one finding the Horcrux, and wanted to leave a hint to Harry. What Ron ignored was that he would eventually forget about it, all because of his stance in Azkaban.

"R.A.B." Ron wrote down with a smile, "Ron Aka Black." He whispered, reminding himself who he had been onced, not so long ago.

The mirror flashed alive at that very moment.

"Sirius, Sirius, help! Wormtail has betrayed us! Voldemort is coming!" James' face bellowed with terror.

"I'm going!" Ron said desperately. Ron knew he would never get there in time, but what else could he do but go along with the events? After all, he had promised it to Hermione. For a brief moment, Ron wondered if Hermione also remaint faithful to the promises he pleaded in his good bye note.

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"It's a boy..." Hermione said weakly, holding a little human on her arms, who was gazing everywhere with his dark blue eyes.

"A boy!" Sirius was delighted, his whole face glimmered with the joy he was feeling, illuminated with happiness. "How are we going to call him?" questioned the man to his wife.

"Ronald Black!" Hermione answered with determination, her gaze hazy as she stared into the depths of time.

The End.

AN: Ok, that is it, I finished the story. Did you like it? I deffinitely loved the ending. I was not so sure how I was going to finish it, I knew it basically but ignored how it would turn out. Finally it ended up much better than I expected. Now I'll continue working on The Wiccan, Origins in Darkness and perhaps The Last Wizard, only to finish the stories that had been started.

Thank you to the following people for having read and followed the story so faithfully, and having taken their time into reviewing:

Robster639

This-love-is-sirius

MissPadfoot101

Slinky45

Nabooqueen

AmericanIdolFreak

Wolfseye1

Totalgrace

Lovelinelivelong369

Connieewing

Liam-the-luton-lion

Library dragon

Nocturnal007

Eternally wondering

hey


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